Aries
Hermit (Ace of Swords)
The mind is a powerful force. it can be your ally or your enemy depending on what kind of relationship you have with it. When you consider that the story of your life has been authored by the interpretation of your mind, you might realize how subjective your reality actually is. Wisdom comes by way of detaching yourself from the story and focusing on its effect. Ask yourself what you learned from an experience then let go of the story. Try using this approach with your current dilemmas. Rather than forming an opinion , develop a strategy in which you can see all sides of an issue. Be patient and listen; like a sword, use your mind, to cut through the incessant chatter of your mind. A solution to one of your major problem awaits you.
Images from the Tarot of the Night by Richard ShadowFox published by Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.
Taurus
Emperor (7 of Swords)
The lessons you need to learn the most will typically appear in the form of struggles. Each time you stumble, you have the opportunity to get right back up and try again. The process of growth depends on your ability to learn from these so-called problems. Through each challenge you develop new resources and personal discipline. Failure is merely the ego's attempt to avoid conflict and shirk responsibility. Each time you run away from your problems, you only postpone the inevitable collision ahead. Take note of where you are currently feeling dominated. Maybe you feel a person has power over you, a situation or a personal habit. In any case, confront the issue head-on and stand up for yourself. If you can command your own thoughts and feelings, you'll realize you have more power than you thought. Even if you have to fall down to find it.
Images from the Dark Goddess Tarot by Ellen Lorenzi-Prince published by ArnellArt.
Gemini
Justice (5 of Wands)
Frustration, although uncomfortable, is an inevitable feeling. Some claim that it is a form of poorly expressed anger, and while it certainly conjures up irritation and feelings of disappointment, it also sheds lights on your expectations. Like a child, who doesn't get their own way, you learn how to deal with life's disturbances by adopting certain behaviors and emotional responses. You may also have to adjust your perspective about what's fair and what's not. Becoming angry at someone or something (including yourself) doesn't alleviate the frustration, it justifies your outrage. Take a breath and reevaluate those frustrations this month. Let go of your point of view long enough to see other options. To see things clearly, you must remain measured. The solution to a long standing nuisance is within reach so long as your don't overreact. Take stock of your triggers and be patient.
Images from Hexen 2.0 Tarot by Suzanne Treister published by Black Dog Publishing.
Cancer
Lovers (9 of Pentacles)
As you are changed by your experiences, so too is your attitude about life. How freeing it is when you realize the influence you have on the direction of your life. That is, when you also realize the responsibility that accompanies this. A naive person says, "how did this happen to me?" A wise person smiles knowingly. Whether you're in a good or bad place, you always have the power of choice. There is no need for validation from the outside world because you are the only one who lives entirely with the effects of your decisions. Be honest about your current station in life, and if there is something to change, then change it. Notice whether your attitude properly aligns with your values. Do you say you believe in one things and do the other? Do you want your relationship to change and yet your attitude remains? Hypocrisy is the number one offender to happiness.
Images from The Truth-Seeker's Tarot by David Fontana published by Watkins Publishing.
Leo
Judgment (Queen of Wands)
Dun da da dun.....Rise and meet your fate. Crowned with a new awareness, life is about to get a little uncomfortable. Your search has yielded a major finding and whether you want to deal with this or not, the trumpets have blown - behold, a version of the truth will prevail. Rather than hold any contempt, act now and improve your own conditions. Redemption is not about exploiting another's weakness as much as it is acknowledging your own. Standing in your personal power means there is no room for blame. Make an honest appraisal of how you contributed to the situation. Speak from your heart and let go of pride. The drama you find yourself in is only one act of the play. Free yourself from the repetition of pain. What's happened cannot be undone so why replay it over and over. Forgiveness is a process that begins with a choice. That choice is always yours.
Images from the Sacred Art Tarot by Andre St. Dryden published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
Virgo
Death (9 of Cups)
Have you ever really examined your fears? They're actually pretty interesting when you get to know them. Some are pure fantasies, illusions, what-ifs, while others are residue of past traumas. What seems to underscore most, is the feeling of powerlessness. The greater the feeling, the greater the fear. You are a master at bringing order to chaos and as such you aim to understand your surroundings through comfortable categories of right and wrong, this or that. Not everything is that simple and to uncover the beautiful complexities, you must be willing to confront your fears. The goal of this exercise is to reveal to yourself all the ways in which you hide. Do you pretend to have everything under control? Or, rely on logic to soften your hurt feelings? How about overcompensating in areas you feel comfortable, or striving for perfection to hide your insecurities? Fears thrive off of avoidance. Face your monsters and become their master.
Images from The Quest Tarot by Joseph Ernest Martin published by Llewellyn Worldwide.
Libra
Tower (2 of Pentacles)
Upheaval and enlightenment go hand in hand. The more attached you are to security, the more it hurts when it is ripped away. Your perspective on life become a prison when you cling to it out of fear. The illusion of security is misleading because the ego convinces you that something out there will save you. External resources, while valuable, pale in comparison to the inner knowing that all things are impermanent. Turn your attention to this radical change, and in a flash you will see what appears to be your world crumble around you. Seek not to hold on but to let go; the light of awareness will guide you to calmer places within yourself, then eventually in your environment. Don't be afraid to take a risk this month even if it feels like you could lose something in the process. If you procrastinate in making a decision, it will be made for you, and likely not in the direction you want.
Images from the Tarot of the Night by Richard ShadowFox published by Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.
Scorpio
Temperance (3 of Pentacles)
Life seeks to live. It is dynamic, tenacious and full of creative abundance. You are an expression of life and in many ways a vessel of its magnificent vision. Through your participation, existence has come into being. Your thoughts, words and actions have energy that materialize out into the world. Your relationships create an original dynamic that only you and the other are a part of. Without you in the world, something would be missing. Now, if little you is this important, then what you put out there becomes your contribution to reality. Are you happy with this? Of all the possibilities in the world, are you working from materials you truly value. Consider how many options are available to you when you work from this premise. You have what seems like an impossible problem? Not really. There is always a creative solution when you mix up different materials, i.e. thoughts, words and actions.
Images from the Dark Goddess Tarot by Ellen Lorenzi-Prince published by ArnellArt.
Sagittarius
Devil (Ace of Pentacles)
Material attachments are probably the hardest to release. Who doesn't love money, food, sex, good looks, nice stuff, the security of a relationship, a good job and a nice home. The list is endless because pleasure has many faces. The problem is not in liking all of this but rather in the dependence upon it, and even worse the denial of dependence on it. Pleasure seeking, like idolatry, worships and elevates objects and ideals to the level of a god. Look at what you've given power to in your life and notice how it affects your behavior. Even the best intentioned person who cannot see their own lust for pleasure, will discover it in those closest to them. Your encounter with this shadowy side of your personality is a bridge to your inner light. You must be willing to confront your ugliness so as to emanate true beauty. You know very well the people with a painted on smile are only hiding a hideous grimace.
Images from Hexen 2.0 Tarot by Suzanne Treister published by Black Dog Publishing.
Capricorn
Chariot (Page of Pentacles)
The hero is a motif that illustrates the journey of finding one's place in the world. It is through overcoming impossible challenges, that the hero becomes aware of his or her own power. Through a series of trials and tests, the greatest of which is to overcome oneself, the hero earns victory. Confidence, courage, strength, and will power are all traits that must be nourished by self-awareness if they are to truly shine. You must know your fears, triggers, and desires intimately if you are to control them. If you are ready to take a decisive step in the direction of change then you are willing to face the trials that will ensue. Believe in yourself but acknowledge your limitations. Don't let an inflated ego fool you into believing your fully prepared when you're not. Knowing when to pull back on the reigns is as important as knowing when to charge ahead. Gather your strength before you leap.
Images from The Truth-Seeker's Tarot by David Fontana published by Watkins Publishing.
Aquarius
Wheel of Fortune (8 of Cups)
Most of us seek to understand the purpose of life as if there is an ultimate meaning, a goal to accomplish, a destiny to be had. No wonder there is so much existential angst around not finding that one thing. Life is destiny. What is often overlooked is the continuous cycle unfolding in every moment. The meaning of life is to give life meaning. If you want to live out your purpose than simply accept your life as it is, and if you wish to change it, do so consciously. Don't run away from life because your unhappy, or long for something more because you don't appreciate what you have. This will always lead you back to your disappointing life. Instead, prepare for the changes by completing each cycle of growth. Let go of the life you think you should have so as to make space for the life you are living. Change your perspective and your future prospects will change in kind.
Images from the Sacred Art Tarot by Andre St. Dryden published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
Pisces
Strength (8 of Swords)
Passion is misunderstood or perhaps overvalued in some cases. If life, work, or god forbid, relationships lack passion, we spiral into a feeling of despair and seek out what ever immediate gratification will improve our sorry state of mind. Sound a little dramatic? Well, so is passion, at least in the juvenile sense it is usually referred to. Passion, as raw energy, is not dependent on a stimulus for ignition, it is vitality that is renewed through its own expression. A conundrum that illustrates this is the riddle: do you love something because it's beautiful, or is something beautiful because you love it? When you are immersed so completely that you and that other become one, sparks of passion ignite and you become the conduit of raw energy. No one can sustain this energy forever. You must use your passion wisely instead of passionately wishing you had it. Best ways to summon passion are to move from your head to your heart and to transfer negative feelings into positive ones.
Images from The Quest Tarot by Joseph Ernest Martin published by Llewellyn Worldwide.